SLED Investigating Officer Involved Shooting in Greenville County

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred on Monday, April 13, 2026, in the City of Greenville. 

The Greenville Police Department responded to a call at a restaurant on North Main Street, regarding an individual loitering and acting strangely in the lobby. Two Greenville police officers arrived on the scene. One officer handcuffed and placed the subject under arrest for Public Intoxication. The subject resisted arrest, and while handcuffed, reached for and attempted to gain control of an officer’s handgun while it remained holstered. During the struggle, the subject placed both hands on the firearm. As the altercation continued, the weapon discharged. The bullet struck one of the officers in the arm, breaking a bone, and then grazed the subject’s leg. The altercation continued and the subject bit the other officer’s finger, through a glove, causing the fingernail to be torn away from the finger. Both officers and the subject have been treated and released from the hospital. 

SLED charged the subject, identified as Xavier Washington, 20, with Attempted Murder, Resisting Arrest with a Deadly Weapon – 1st Offense, Assaulting or Wounding a Police Officer while Resisting Arrest, and Possession of a Weapon During a Violent Crime. 

Details can be found in the attached warrants. 

Washington was booked into the Greenville County Detention Center.

The case will be prosecuted by the 13th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. 

This is an ongoing investigation. As such, no other information about the case will be disclosed by SLED at this time. 

SLED conducts law enforcement officer involved shooting (OIS) investigations at the request of the agency involved in the incident or the agency with jurisdiction. When requested to investigate an OIS, SLED’s goal is to conduct a thorough, independent criminal investigation as timely as is possible under the circumstances. SLED agents will conduct interviews with all potential witnesses in this matter. Further, SLED will collect all relevant evidence and will forensically test such evidence as needed. Information gathered in the SLED investigation of the incident will be summarized in a case file report to be submitted to prosecutors. 

The incident in Greenville County is the 10th officer involved shooting in South Carolina in 2026.  This is the 1st officer involved shooting for the Greenville Police Department this year.   

In 2025, there were 45 officer involved shootings in South Carolina. The Greenville Police Department had 1 officer involved shootings last year. 

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For media inquiries, please email SLED’s Public Information Office: pio@sled.sc.gov

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